Machine drive



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MACHINE DRIVE Filed April 1o, 4194s Patented July 16, 1946 Boyd R. Abbott, Norristown, Pa., as'signor to Armstrong Cork Company, Lancaster, Pa., a corpoi ration of Pennsylvania Application April 1o, 1943, seriarNo. 482,644

This invention relates to a A,machine driveand more particularlyto a drive for imparting a predetermined intermittent motion to a machineto be driven, with` provision for varying the time interval between intermittent moves of the machine. The drivehas particular usefulnessy in rotary type forming machines such as that disclosed in my application Serial No. 482,645, filed April 10, 1943, entitled Forming machine wherein a plurality of molds are intermittently moved into a series of stations positioned along the path of travel of the molds and at these stations operations are` performed to produce the final product. Inthis machine, it is desirable to move the train of moldszas quickly as`possible between stations but to permit a relatively ylonger dwell Vin the various stations for some of the operations tobe performed consume 'considerable time.

` s claims. (cwi-221) With the device of the present invention, itis possible to impart a relatively rapid movement to the lmachine and to control the starting of the drive by an electrical timer or manually so that the time intervall between intermittent motions of the drive may be of any desired length. A

The drive is designed to be .useful to transmit considerable power, for in, devices such.y as the forming machine referred to above, many horsepower are required torotate themachine, and particularly to start rotation.v j

The invention will be described in connection with the attached drawing in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the drive ar` rangement as applied to a rotary machine of the type disclosed in my copending application above identified.

Figure.2 is a detail view of the electrical switch arrangement;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1 and showing the driving pin aligning arrangement; and

Figure 4 is a wiring diagram showing a typical electrical control arrangement.

Referring to Figure 1 the drive consists essentially of a motor 2 which drives a pair of sprockets 3 through a gear reduction 4 which is connected to the motor 2 through a sprocket 5, a chain 5, anda sprocket 1 aiiixed to the drive shaft of the motor 2. Y V

II. v'Ihesprocketst and II are fixed in penna# nentl position but the sprocket I0 is adjustable to the post I4. and movement of the machine is ar-l align the driving pins asfwiu fully be described later, Y

In Figure 1 the machine tobe\driven is generally indicated by the numeral I2 and in this em'- bodiment takes the form ofV a circular band I3 (shown in section in Figure 3) having a series of posts I4 uniformly spaced about the circumference of the bandftwo posts I4 being shown in Figure 1. 'These posts I4 are ,eiiective for transmitting power from they chains 8 to the band I3 to rotate themachine I2, the magnitude of movement on each intermittent operation of the drive being equivalent to the space between adjacent posts I4.v

As shown in Figures 2 and-3, a driving pinl I Snis attached tothe two chains 8 so as-to span vthe space between them. The driving pin I6 isdisposed vertically between the two horizontal runs of chain 8 (see Figure). In the embodiment shown, there are two such driving pins I6 spaced at points I1 and I8 as indicated in Figure' 1.v The' pins I 6 are positioned to engage the posts I4 and by such engagement move the machine I2 in the direction ofl the arrow in Figure 1; that portion of the run of the chains 8 between the idlersprock; ets I0 and II parallels the path of movement of the machine I2, andas the pin I6 at location I8 moves about vthe sprocket I I, it is disengaged from rested until the pin at location I 'If comes into engagement with the next rearward` post I4'adjacent the sprocket I upon the next intermittent motion'of the drive. The pins lautomatically disengage from the posts VI4 because the chains 8'to which theyrare attached run in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of thepost which is engaged by the driving pin as the chains 8 pass about the sprocket I I.

To insure that the drivingpins I 6 will properly approach and engage the posts I4, the pair of sprockets It is mounted for adjustment in a forked bracket I9 pivoted about the bolt 20. A lug 2| (Figure v3) is xed tothe bracket I9 and I is providedA with an opening 22 through which passes a threaded adjusting bolt 23 (Figure 1).

" One end of the bolt 23 isA fixedto an angle support 24 and the oppositeend/is lreceived in the opening 22A Adjusting nuts 25 and 26 are provided on the bolt 23 and thek position of the sprockets `I0 is determined by movement of the# nuts 25 and,26 which are eiiective for rotating the bracket I9 about the pivot 20. o .In orderto compensate for any change in the tensionon the chains 8 dueto adjustment ofthe sprockets I0 and to insure that the proper tension 3 Y is always applied to the chains, a pair of tightening sprockets 25 is provided axed to the bracket 25 and an adjusting bolt 29 is secured to the machine frame. An adjusting nut 30 is effective for rotating the bracket 26 about the pivot 21 to move the tightening sprockets 25' toward or away i' from the chains 8. A locking nut is provdedon the opposite Side of the lug 2.* 8but this is not shown in lFigure `1, itbeing disposed below the top oi the bracket 26.

l i The spacing of the; 'posts I4 is uniform throughout the entire circumferenceY of the' rotary machine to be driven and the movement.

accomplished upon each intermittent ,operation of the drive is equivalent tothe'distance'between i .the surfaces of the posts which' are engaged by thedriving pins I6, so that upon each intermit` tentfmotionof the drive, the machine is lrotated for a portionof a revolution, each portion being of the same magnitude. Thus, the machine may be intermittently moved' by rotating the driving Y chains f8 continuously, 'the -periodo'f -dwell being determined by the speed of rotation of the chains 3 Yand the spacing of the drivingpins i E' at-points I1 and iii.V -I-n most intermittent drives, however, -it is desirable' to provide ffor a much longer immediately open,V stopping motor 2.,

arm 2,8 cannot be brought into engagement to` 4 motor 2 will run until control pin 34 on chains 8 engages the roller 33011 contact arm 32 of switch 3|, whereupon current from the source S to the magnetic switch 36 will fail and contact 38 will Contact start motorV 2 until push button 31 has been pressed, completing the circuit for magnetic switchtl.'V A

Y Inmos't cases the pu's'hbutton Y3'! will be reT .placed Vby an automatic timer indicatedin dotted *lines in Figure 4 and designated AT which willA ',.pe'riodically closethe circuit kfor .the magnetic.

switch 3,6, thus starting up the motor 2 and causj ing apm'otionv of .thedrive to be effected equivale'ntlto the'di'stance betweenfthe'driving posts, 'the'drivefbeing rautomatically stoppednby the lirnitjswitch :3]1; If'desired', safety switches may be lprovided on the machine toV complete Vthe timer circuit only when the various: operating-. devices positioned along-the path of travel of the i machine have lbeen properl-yfcleared. i

YWhile 'I have' illustrated land described Aa' pre- 'ferred'embodiment ofV my invention;V it will be dwell than would be possible with -a relatively compact drivegfor, if a long dwell is required',

Vthe machinemust beeither rotated very slowly ori a relatively longmpair of chains must be provided so that the driving `Vpins I6 may be spaced a considerable distance apart. The motion 'of theymac-hine l2 will of course cease upon movement of -thepin I which happens to be in engagement with a driving post I4 out of engage- Vment therewith land further'motion will be'efl fected Aonly whenanother engages lthe next driving post iii r-spacedf-to 'the rear in the direcy tionoof travelof the machine vto I'be driven.

AThe timing Aof the drive may be conveniently controlled electrically to start and stop the mowhere a limit switch 3| is provided having `a contactlarrn 32( Ycarrying a roller 33. VThe arrangement ofthe switch SfI-is such that when the arm 32 is rocked, the circuit which it controls will Y be `broken ibut will be made again Vas soonas the arm 32returns to its normal position. A control andthe limit switch 3| is adustably mounted upon a bracket i5 to rbringrthe roller 33 intoithe path Yof travel of the pin 34 -so that upon movement of the pin 34 past the station at which the e switch 3l islocated the pin 34 will rotatethe arm 32breaking 'the circuit,` but as soon as theroller sociated with the 'member to bedriven to impa-rt Thisj-is illustrated in Figures r1 and 2 vpin 34 is Vmountedon the vupper run of chainy lif Y 33 passes Aover the pin 34, the switch 3l will lagain be in closed position. l As shown in Figure2 the vided for each driving -pin I6 so as to stop the motor 2 upon each movement of the drive equal to thedistance between the posts -I 4,

Figure iis a wiring diagram vshowing'a typical arrangementvfor controlling the'motor 2. Current is'fed from thesource S directly to one side of the motor 2 and the Yother side of the source is controlled by the switch 3l.r A magnetic switch 36 is eiective for'completing the circuit from the source S to the motor 2 when the switch 3i 'is closed. In order toenergize the magnetic switchj3j6 a push button l3711s provided which 'closes the circuit for the switch 36 'where-4 Vpin3i is mounted Ain the same position as the Y driving pinrl and one con-trol pin will'be vproupon its contact arm 38 willbe elevated and 1the circuit for themoior '2 wnibe completed; 'rige Y push. buttonV Vmay be then released Aand the understood that the same maybe otherwise em` bodied and practiced lowingclaims.

"-I claim: Y i

-1. In a drive 'forla member to lbe driven having w-ithin the scope of the Vfola series of-spaced vposts associ-'ated therewith toVV be engaged 'bydriving means, rdriving means comprising a driven.-endless conveyor moveable for japortion of -i-ts run along 'the Ipat-h of travel of Athemernber to be driven, a-driving pin/carried by said conveyor and engagea'ble with a post as- Inotion to said -memben-an electric motorffor driving saidv conveyor, and means for automatically controllinght-he 'movement -of the conveyor comprising-a, magnetic switch forcontrolling the supply of currentto said motor, a'limit switch injcircuit w-iththe vmagnetic switch'for interrupting the supply of current `thereto to cause said magnetic switch to open and interrupt the supply of 4current to saidmotor, a normally open switch in lcircuit with said magnetic switch `for connecting lthe magnetic switch in circuit with the :current source of suppl-y therefor, a timer for periodically closing said normally open impart motion to said member, an electric motoriV for driving said conveyor, Vand means` for vauto-r matically vcontrolling Ythe `movement V'of the con-e veyor comprising airmagnetic switch,'a limit` switch, and a normallyropen. timer controlled Y switClLthe loperatin:. ,f winding of Asaid magnetic switch being connected to one side of a vsource of current through said limit switch andito the 1 otherside of said source throughsaidtimer controll'ed Lswitch and motor, Vsaid operating windingv holdingsaidswitch in circuit `making condition only so longas lsaid limitgswitchis closed and the motor operating, 4automaticallyy falling to circuit breaking @edition 1.11.1011 epilation ciuSaidglimt switch, and means carried by said conveyor for tripping said limit switch upon completion of each cycle of movement of the member to be,V

driven.

l 3. In a drive for a member to be driven having a plurality of equally spaced posts to be engaged by driving means, driving means comprising an endless conveyor having a portionof its run along the path of travel of the member to be driven, a plurality of equally space d driving pins carried by said conveyor and sequentially engageable with said posts to move said member to be driven a distance equivalent to the distance between the driving posts on each sequential movement of the drive, means for automatically controlling the movement of the conveyor comprising an electric motor for driving said conveyor, a magnetic switch for controlling the supply of current to said motor, a limit switch in circuit with said magnetic switch for interrupting the supply of current to said magnetic switch to cause the same to open and interrupt the supply of currentA to the motor, a normally open switch in circuit with said magnetic switch for connecting the magnetic switch in circuit with the source of current supply therefor, actuating members carried by said conveyor and effective for tripping said limit switch to interrupt the supply of current to said magnetic switch and thereby break the circuit for the source of supply of current to the motor, one switch actuating member being provided for each driving pin so as to stop said conveyor after each intermittent move of the member to be driven equivalent to the distance between the posts carried by the member to be driven.

4. In a drive for a member to be driven having secured to said member spaced posts to be engaged by the driving` means, driving means comprising a pair of spaced chains having parallel runs in different planes, means for moving said chains in a closed path, a driving pin connected to said chains and engageable with a post on said member to be driven to impart motion to said member, means for directing said chains along a portion of their runs in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the post which is engaged by the driving pin to bring said pin into position for engagement with said post close to the point of connection of said post to said member, and means for moving said chains along an adjacent portion of their runs in a direction substantially along the path of travel of said member 6 to impart motion to said member after engagement of said pin with said post.

5. In a drive for a member to be driven having secured to said member spaced posts to be engaged by the driving means, driving means comprisinga pair of spaced chains having parallel runs in different planes, means for moving said chains in a closed path, a driving pin connected to said chains and engageable with a post on said member to be driven to impart motion to said member, means for directing said chains along a portion of their runs in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the post which is engaged by the driving pin to bring said pin into position for engagement with said post close to the point of connection of said post to said member, and means spaced from said first named means for directing said chains along a portion of their runs in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the post which is engaged by the driving pin to withdraw the pin from engagement with said post.

6. In a drive for a member to be driven having secured to said member a plurality of posts equally spaced about the periphery'of. said member, driving means comprising a pair of spaced chains having parallel runs in different planes, means for moving said chains in a closed path, a plurality of driving pins connected to said chains and sequentially engageable with said spaced posts on said member to be driven to impart motion to said member, means for directing said chains along a portion of their runs in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of a post which is to be engaged by a driving pin to bring said pin into position for engagement with said post close to the point of connection of said post to said member, means for moving said chains along an adjacent portion of their runs in a direction substantially along the path of travel of said member to impart motion to said member after engagement of said pin with said post, and means spaced from said rst named means a distance equivalent to the distance between spaced posts on said member to be driven for directing said chains along a portion of their runs vin a. direction substantially parallel to the surface of the post which is engaged by the driving pin to withdraw the pin from engagement with said post, with thenext rearward post in position to receive the next forward driving pin.

BOYD R. ABBOI'I'. 

